Wrestling Observer editor Dave Meltzer stated today on F4WOnline.com that recent allegations made by WWE Hall of Famers George “The Animal” Steele and “Rowdy” Roddy Piper concerning Vince McMahon’s soured relationship with Randy Savage have nothing to do with the WWE chief’s animosity towards the late wrestler. Piper alleged last Friday on Twitter that Savage slapped McMahon in a bar. Steele then suggested in an interview that McMahon held Savage in contempt for abruptly jumping to World Championship Wrestling in 1994 because he considered him “almost like a son.”

Steele said, “I think that what happened with Randy, when his career was winding down with the WWF, Vince McMahon just loved Randy. After all everything Randy had done and he took him under his wing, and he wanted Randy after the ring was over with for him, he wanted him to be our spokesperson. He was traveling with Vince all the time. Randy was almost like a son, they were really tight. And then one day, we were at a TV meeting, and we got word that Randy, without calling Vince, had left and jumped to the WCW. I had never seen Vince McMahon broken before, he was crushed. It hurt him big time and I don’t think he ever got over that. I think that’s the real problem to be honest with you.”

In late 1996, Savage’s contract with WCW had expired and he briefly negotiated with WWE regarding a possible return to the organization. Meltzer said that during this time frame, Vince McMahon told him he would take back Savage “with open arms,” but would “never ever” take Hulk Hogan back. Meltzer then notes that McMahon’s animosity towards Savage during the final years of the wrestling legend’s life stemmed from an incident that occurred following 1996, or “something he found out.”

“Any explanation of why Vince hates Savage that has to do with something that Vince would have known pre-1996 is clearly balderdash,” Meltzer stated. “Either something post 1996, or something he found out after 1996.” There is a long-standing rumor indicating that Savage was involved in a sexual relationship with McMahon’s daughter Stephanie during his final year in WWE, therefore explaining his animosity towards him (which McMahon learned years later). While the allegation has never been verified, Meltzer stated in March 2009 that top WWE officials believed the rumor to be true.

Meltzer said then, “I think that the reason is the same reason that everyone says. It’s the reason everyone in (WWE) says. It’s the reason that is the only one that makes any sense. So I think that’s the reason. I can’t come up with any other reason. I don’t know. I mean, I’ve heard that reason from so many people that are not internet rumormongers, I mean people who – all I know is that within the company as far as the top people, they all believe it, and nobody knows for sure, because it’s never brought up.

“When I first heard the story I didn’t believe it because I thought it was just some story, but then, and I mean even when people who are very high up in that company, after they left the company, would tell me that story I still didn’t believe it, but, you know, after a certain number of years when it’s just, you know, ideas are brought up for Randy Savage and the reaction – there’s something real, real bad because, let’s face it, I mean, I couldn’t count the number of times Vince said he would never do business with Hulk Hogan, and he always does. So, I don’t know…Actually, as time goes by, more people talk about it trying to say that it didn’t happen.”